Dear readers,

I'm happy to announce the third chapter. Nothing more to add to this actually. It is a short chapter but it was late last night so I apologize for that. I am creating new ideas which I type as soon as I can.

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Presents

17:55 Starship Phoenix

The hallway was empty, as was the bridge. It frightened Abel a bit, like the ship was deserted all of a sudden. An hour ago he had still seen several robots walking up and the ship patrolling and done whatever they did for a living but now it felt eerie. He couldn't but think back to when Ratchet found him on the ship… The bodies that lay there on the floor. Killed by his own brother. He knew he was save, he knew but still the silence on the Phoenix crept into his fur as at began to stand up. Only hearing faint sounds of lamps or devices going on and out every once and then.

As quickly as he could he made his way towards the main hallway. "I knew I shouldn't have gone to the hangar again! Dammit, what is with me and machines! It's like a got a darn affinity towards em or something…" Abel said as he walked towards the mess hall still trying to figure out where everybody was. As he arrived at the mess hall he saw that the lights weren't on, the darkness that was in that room. The black cold feeling he got from just standing there as his hart began to beat faster and faster with every step he had taken. "I need to know what happened! I must go forward I…I can't go back not now." As he gathered whatever nerve he had left he stepped into the darkness.

All of a sudden a bright light had engulfed him and Abel's body tensed ready to fight if needed. But it never came, he was blinded for a second until "SURPRISE ABEL!!!!!" shouted everyone in the room as the lights went on. "What?!" said Abel a bit confused, he still didn't fully understand what had happened but as soon as he saw everyone standing in front of him with colourful hats. A huge banner hang across the room, it was a bluish colour with green letters spelling the word "congratulation" on it. "What is this about?" asked Abel to the closest robot he could find. "Well sir it is a party in honour of you for entering the team. Captain Ratchet along with the Q-Force found that it would be appropriate!" said the mechanical being towards the Lombax. Having forgotten his fear he tried to search for any familiar faces, after searching across the entire room he finally found Skidd and what seemed to be a large box a red big box with a yellow bow on top of it. "Yo Abel dude, the guys and I well we were thinking hey who not a party, ya dig man? And well congrats on joining the team!" As he then gave the oversized gift to the Lombax. It was easily the height of a Clank or bigger making Abel almost fall to his feet. Quickly putting it to the ground Abel saw an entire table full of gifts, with a certain Captain standing next to them. The ears of the blue eyed Lombax began to straighten up at the sight of Ratchet, but even more because of the large gifts on the table next to him. "Aw you guys, you didn't need to do that you know…" "It's tradition you know to welcome a new crewmember this way. Besides it wouldn't feel right if we did not do it." Said Ratchet with a happy voice "Ya zis is good!" said Helga before going back to Qwark. "What's with Helga?" asked Abel "She sometimes behaves like that after drinking a few beers. Don't pay attention to that… Besides don't you want to open up your presents?" that last word was one that ratchet would regret when he saw Abel ran towards the table, he almost ran over a couple of robots and people in the process as he ran to his presents.

He opened them with lightning speed, each time tearing of the fabric of the box and then opening it. He was so enthusiastic that some began to think he never had a present before. Once the last present was unwrapped Abel gave out a small whimper, almost letting a tear drop onto the floor. "Aren't you happy with the present?" asked some of robots. "I'm filled with joy actually…" "Organic life forms are so weird! They bleed when there happy." Said one of the bots "Tell me about one time a saw a…" Abel turned away to see Ratchet holding one last present. "Here I got something especially for you from me. Let's say it's a thank you gift." said the Lombax to his friend. It was much much smaller then the others had given, but he still unwrapped it as fast as he could. Inside the box was a smaller box filled with air holes. "Why are there holes in this one?" he asked cocking an eyebrow towards Ratchet who just put on a very big smile. "You'll see once you open it!" As Abel grabbed the lid of the box his eyes grew the widest ever seen by anyone before melting completely at the little creature he saw. "This looks like… How in the universe?" the small creature looked exactly like Ratchet only 1/10 of his regular size. "You like?" he said to Abel who couldn't find words to describe his feelings. "It's what they call a 'Battle Ratchet'… I had a run in with a maniac called Emperor Otto who actually used my DNA to clone an entire army of well me." He shuddered at the experience that had happened less then a year back.

The small Ratchet was asleep in the box which made most people give out a small 'awww' much to Ratchet's dismay. "Do remember that he needs to be fed three times a day… Needs regular activity and oh don't let them get near weaponry they tend to start blowing things up." Reminded the Lombax at his friend. The small creature itself began to wake up. As it saw Abel's face, it instinctively began to try and say something. Sadly the poor creature couldn't say a word. Afterwards Abel got informed that it was a 'fresh' clone and therefore needed to learn everything still, from speaking to walking. But the first thing it would see it would be seen as the 'mother'. "Hey there little one, my name is Abel." Said the blue eyed Lombax to his new pet. "Thanks Ratchet, I really appreciate this! I can't thank you all enough" he said. The silence that came over them was only interrupted by Skidd "Yo dudes let's dance!!!"

A disco ball lowered it itself from the roof, as robots and people alike began to dance to the rhythm of the beat. Except Abel who had begun to play with the small pet he had gotten from Ratchet. "Ooh yea Skidd McMarx is in the house people." Said Skidd as he began to shake his limbs of on the beat of the music.

Clank approached Ratchet as he was dancing, he seemed to be concerned about something "Ratchet why did you gave him that?!..." asked Clank in his monotone voice "I wanted to give him something that he would enjoy and seeing as he never had a pet well… It seemed appropriate! Why should I rather have given him a Courtny Gears record?" at this remark Clank just put his hand onto his metal head waving it. "What?!" asked ratchet confused but Clank did not respond.

The party went on until far into the night, the results were a very drunk Helga who nobody could understand no more, not even Qwark. Who actually was as drunk as Helga was at that time! Skidd was just exhausted from all the dancing and Clank had left early. The only ones remaining were the cleaning bots, Abel and Ratchet who came to check up on Abel and his pet. As he approached he saw that both of them had fallen asleep. "Abel?...Abel?" said Ratchet as he shook Abel back and forth. After a few times it worked and the other Lombax woke up seeing that his pet had fallen asleep after him. "Shhh… It's asleep. You yourself fell asleep as well. Perhaps it's time to go to bed huh?" "I guess that (yawn) your right. Just let me get me Bolt ok?" Ratchet chuckled "You named him Bolt?" "Yea so? It isn't like your name isn't a named after a tool!" Abel said feeling a bit insulted at the name he had given his pet. "Sorry, it's been a long day. Let's go to bed huh?"

Both of them made there way towards there room. Ratchet had already finished brushing his teeth as he went under his sheets. Abel on the other hand laid down his pet in the cage that Skidd had given him, whilst after that making his way to the lavatory to brush his teeth. He could hear ratchet snore who he assumed had now drifted asleep. After he was done brushing his teeth and grooming himself a bit, he went towards ratchet's bed and kissed the Lombax on the cheek "Thanks Ratchet for everything!" Abel said gently as he himself afterwards hit the hay.